The Brief
- A 3-year-old boy died after drowning at SunWest Park during Saturday’s Scallop and Music Festival, according to the Pasco Sheriff’s Office.
- Emergency crews and bystanders searched the packed beach after deputies say the child wandered away from his family on Saturday evening.
- Community members returned to the park on Sunday to organize an informal memorial, leaving flowers and toys to honor the child’s memory.
HUDSON, Fla. – A day after a holiday celebration turned tragic, visitors returned to Pasco County’s SunWest Park to remember a 3-year-old boy who died after drowning during the park’s Scallop and Music Festival.
Pasco County festival drowning
What we know:
The Pasco Sheriff’s Office said the child was reported missing around 8:15 p.m. Saturday after wandering away from his family during the festival at SunWest Park.
Witnesses said panic spread throughout the beach as deputies and bystanders searched for the boy. He was eventually found in the water and pulled ashore, where CPR was performed before he was flown to a nearby hospital. Investigators said he later died.
People who witnessed the tragedy described the scene as heartbreaking and said the mother’s cries left a lasting impact.…